Dogtags
by Ec1ipse
Summary: Ryans squad has recieved a mission to destroy an enemy complex, along the way they encouter waves of helghast. Action packed.
1. Chapter 1

Dog tags

Chapter 1: En Route

_SCREEEEEEOOOooooosh_, the ISA dropship _Vulcan_ broke through the clouds and came out of a spiral just in time to evade a broken building. It was around 1430(2:30 hours), a typical cloudy overcast day, bits of sun rays shown through and reflected off the war torn city. The battered dropship rocked and swayed in the wind. The hull was painted a standard ISA green that looked all to similar to a sage green, It had plenty of dents and scrapes.

"It's a good thing we have a pilot who can actually fly this screaming piece of slag", a soldier yelled over the loud engines of said screaming piece of slag.

"SHUT YER MOUTH 'FOR I DO IT FER YA JANKINS!", the pilot retorted," BUT THANKS FER TH' COMPLIMENT!"

"'Thanks fer th'compliment' ", Jenkins mocked under his breathe.' "I'LL GIVE YOU A COMPLIMENT, THIS SHIP IS A PIECE OF CRAP AND SO IS THE PILOT!"

The ship jerked harshly as they maneuvered in and around buildings, trying not to put any more dents than there already were on this thing. Jenkins shifted and almost fell out of his seat. Raife laughed at him.

" AH SHUT UP, BOTH O' YA. THIS ISNT THE TIME TO BE BICKERIN, SO YOU _BOTH_ SHUT UP BEFORE _I_ GET INVOLVED…AND I DON'T THINK WE WANT THAT DO WE?" Corporal Ethan Lane cocked an eyebrow towards Jenkins.

" SIR YES SIR", Jenkins yelled back running his fingers through his coarse, sandy blonde, semi-short hair.

"RAIFE DO _YOU_ UNDERSTAND ME?"

Ethan could practically hear the pilot roll his eyes, "SIR…YES SIR!"

"GOOD."

Ethan looked around the cabin at his troops. They were nervous and he could tell. They had every right to be. Ryan fingered his weapon while others fidgeted. This was war after all, and going up against the Helghast didn't make matters any better.

Ethan shuddered at the thought of the brutality the Helghast were infamous for. They were different than humans, standing a full one and a half heads higher. They were famous for their appearance, bright luminous red, red-orange, sometimes yellow goggles and always clad in black armor. The basic infantry unit wore a breath mask of some sort. _They __breath__ something other than oxygen on there home world of __helghan_He took a wild guess. They also wore a black helmet. Where as officers where a black, usually with silver or white trim, and oddly shaped beret. Then there were the "elites", they were abnormally taller than the average Helghast foot soldier, with the red-orange goggles but no breath mask and no helmet, just the really, really pale white head that Ethan imagined all of them had underneath all their armor.

The Helghast and the ISA had been at war for several years now and it didn't look like it was going to let up anytime soon. The warring factions moved across space with such contention, taking and retaking planets that were lost.

"THE HELGHAST HAVE SET UP PERIMITERS ON THE EAST, THE SOUTH AND EVERY INCH IN BETWEEN! WE ARE TOUCHING DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN MOST PART OF THE CITY. FROM THERE WE WILL MAKE OUR WAY INTO THE HEART OF THE CITY, TO THE ORBITAL DEFENCE STATION. TWO OTHER SQUAD WILL BE ASSISTING US ON THIS PARTICULAR MISSION." The troops gave a grunt of disapproval, they liked working alone. "THEY WILL BE SETTING DOWN IN THE EAST. We WILL MAKE CONTACT WITH THEM LATER."

"WHY DON'T WE JUST GO IN FROM THE NORTH OR THE WEST?" Tyler asked sitting on the floor, his eyes closed.

"OUR MISSION IS TO KILL AS MANY HELGHAST AS POSSIBLE."Ethan briefed the troops because number one, he wanted to make sure they knew where they were and why exactly they were being thrown into this God forsaken hell hole, that…and he just got the briefing himself just as they were taking off, "NOW, THERE IS A VERY, _VERY_ IMPORTANT…PACKAGE, A BOMB FOR THOSE TO O SLOW TO GET WHAT IM SAYING, WE MUST 'DELIVER'!"

The cabin boomed, as every marine in the ship laughed as the corporal hefted a huge metal…"briefcase" as some might call it, "THIS, LADIES, IS _BETTY_. SHE, MY FRIENDS, IS ONE HECK OVA BITCH, THAT IS IF YOU PISS HER OFF…_SO DON'T PISS 'ER OFF GOT IT!_ SHE'S WIRED AND READY TO GO OFF. IF SHE DOES, THIS WHOLE CITY WILL GO UP AND THE _ODS _(Orbital Defense Station)WILL STILL STAND…IN OTHER WORDS, GAME OVER!"

"SIR YES SIR"

"WITH THAT SAID, I WILL BE TRANSPORTING HER FROM THE LZ (landing zone) TO THE DETINATION AREA, SO THAT MEANS I WILL NEED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YA TO WATCH MY BACK AN' KEEP THIS THING FROM _PMS_ING PREMATUERLY, AM I HEARD OR AM I _HEARD_?

The corporal glared at all his men. MAN he was proud of them. In all the years he's served with them only seven maybe eight ended up KIA. They followed orders to the tee and rarely gave him gruff about them. They were a sarcastic bunch, constantly joking and fighting, but they were all like family now, brothers he guessed. That's why he trusted them with his life, and he was sure that they trusted him just as much.

They were the best of the best. The strong arm of the ISA. They had a thing for battle, nervous one minute devastating the next. They had sort of a, _hoo__-ah_type of attitude that made their will virtually imperishable.

Maybe that's why he was literally shaking in his boots. This mission will certainly test their abilities. It will be the most important and indeed deadliest one he'd ever gotten his squad into. If they succeeded, they would cripple the Helgahst and eventually drive them off this planet…what ever that was. If they failed though…He quickly pushed that thought aside.

_Better not dwell on that now, _He somehow managed to think over the screeching engines,_ a good leader has to keep a clear mind and focus on the task at hand, whi__le still looking after his men._

His head hurt at the constant pressure, he swore never to get so close to his men, but dammit these were no ordinary men, they were his brothers…oh yeah and sister. He laughed as he turned his head to face Amber the only female and the youngest soldier in his squad. At age twenty-two, she had silky smooth, blonde hair with bright cerulean blue streaks that made her already icy blue eyes shine with brilliance. She was also skinny and petite with a good figure.

Her gaze caught his and she held up her hand with her thumb extended upwards, in the thumbs up pose. He answered back with a smile and a small playful, two fingered salute. She was his major motivation. Everyone in the platoon loved and protected her, even though she could probably take'em all down in one fell swoop. They all felt obligated for some reason.

"ROGER THAT _ALPHA_." Raife said over the radio channel. He turned to look at Ethan' "ALPHA SQUAD HAS TOUCHED DOWN AND ARE ENGADGING THE HELGHAST!"

The ship rocked heavily as winds from an approaching storm rolled in. It tossed the _Vulcan_ back and forth seemingly trying to knock it off balance and into a nearby building.

"ALRIGHT MEN..", Ethan heard a small 'ehhem' echo through the cabin, he turned in that direction to see none other than Amber lifting and eyebrow and smiling arms folded across her chest,"… 'SCUSE ME, AND WOMEN, WE ARE EN ROUTE TO THE LZ, ETA FIVE MINUTES, NOW I NEED A QUICK ROLL CALL AND ARMIMENT CHECK, STARTING WITH JENKINS!"

"PRIVATE, SCOTT JENKINS, ASSAULT RIFLE!"

"PRIVATE, TYLER DANIELS, ASSAULT RIFLE!"

"PRIVATE, TY MORGAN, SHOTGUN!"

"PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, RYAN WILT, SHOTTY!"

"PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, BRIAN CASKETT, GRENEDIAR (which means he has an unearthly amount of grenades for a captured helgahst grenade launcher and a handgun)!"

"PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, RICHARD HART, BOOMSTICK, SIR!"(rocket launcher)

"PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, JACKSON "JAZZ" ELOI, BROTHA WIT A SMG COMMIN THROUGH!"

"LANCE CORPORAL,CHAD PELT, COVERT SNIPER!"

"LANCE CORPORAL, ANDREW PELT, COVERT SNIPER NUMBER TWO BABY!!" He and his twin brother Chad clasped hands and let out three loud woots. They were identical twins and no one could ever tell them apart until Chad was injured do to a grenade that went off prematurely, the shrapnel got him across the face. Now he has a decent sized scar on his head. It started about mid- forehead and traveled diagonally down across his right eye and ended at his earlobe.

"STOW IT YOU TWO!", Ethan reached across the cabin and punched Andrew in the arm, he let out a yelp that made the men in the dropship laugh, "CARRY ON."

"YESSIR, PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, BRENT THOMPSON, _NON__-_COVERT SNIPER!" He shot a competitive glare at the twins and they called back by extending their hands and flexing their fingers in a 'bring it on' style motion. Both the twins and Brent smiled and slapped hands. Brothers till the end.

"PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, ROB MILLER, BBQ CHEF AT YOUR SERVICE!" He lifted his flamethrower so all could see.

"AH SHUT IT, YOU ALWAYS BURN OUR FOOD, YOUR COOKING SUCKS!!", That having coming from Ryan.

"HEH HEH WISE ASS EH? WHY DON'T I TAKE THIS HERE 'THROWER AND BURN YOU A NEW…"

"GROW UP CHILDREN!" As if on cue, a large boom sounded outside the ship as thunder and lightning cracked the sky.

"SIR YESSIR!"

"LANCE CORPORAL, LEE FOSTER, HEAVY MACHINE GUN, RUNNIN AN' GUNNIN!"

" PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, AMBER NUNELY, MODIFIED ASSULT RIFLE/SNIPER, HEHE HEY KNOCK IT OFF HEHEHE!", she squealed as Brent poked her in the side.

"WELL ARENT YOU JUST THE CUTEST SNIPER IVE EVER SEEN"

_THWACK_

Jazz winced as he heard a crack coming from Brent's head as Amber decked 'im one. Guess she finally got tired of laughing and finally used that bottled up fury to her advantage. He laughed at the thought. He didn't mean to, but he accidently laughed out loud seeing as though Brent looked like he was staring a freakin hole through 'im. _Oops_.

"HEH HEH DON'T FERGET ME CHIEF!! WARRANT OFFICER, RAIFE 'PORTIN FER DUTY, MEH WEAPNS' ARE MEH TRUSTY MAGNUM, _SHURLY, _AN' THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE O' SHIP THE _VULCAN!" _

"ALRIGHT INCUDING ME THAT'S FIFTEEN. NOW, CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW MANY WE'RE GONNA HAVE AT THE END OF THIS MISSION?"

"FIFTEEN SIR!", They all answered in unison.

"VERY GOOD! NOW RAIFE YOUR GONNA DROP US OFF AT THE LZ, THEN FALL BACK TO THIS LOCATION UNTIL EXTRACTION OR OTHER WISE!", Ethan sent the pilot a fall back point to his HUD.

"GOT IT", the gruff old pilot saluted in the cockpit, "APPROCHING THE LZ, ETA THIRTY SECONDS…GOOD LUCK SIR!"

Ethan looked around at the men, and woman. They all loaded their weapons with a resounding_ click_, as they prepped for battle. They looked back and grinned, they were ready. He still felt a faint sense of nausea. The dropship lurched and touched down. His head turned as the door opened and the blinding light settled. "LET'S GO MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"

He felt his adrenaline pump through his body as he ushered his soldiers into hell.


	2. Chapter 2

Dog tags

Chapter 2: Busy Work

What's goin on? Corporal Ethan Lane knew they had kept a low profile coming in, but he at least expected minimal resistance when they touched down. It had been five maybe ten minutes since touchdown and the _Vulcan_ left them, and they hadn't encountered one helghast. He knew how the helghast worked, and he knew that if they detected an enemy dropship that they would at least send a patrol. But there was nothing!

"Whatsa matter man, those monsters should be swarmin right 'bout now.", Jazz quipped; looking around at the broken and charred building of some backwash city no one in their squad knew the name of.

"Watch your six, it could be a trap," Ethan gestured to Andrew and Chad, "Andrew go to that side of the street, pick a building get to the roof and radio me on a secure channel, Chad you do the same only on the opposite side of the street."

"Heh heh, c'mon bro lets post up," Andrew slapped his twin on the back and jogged to his designated side of the street. His brother followed suit.

Andrew entered the tallest building he could find. Looking around,_hmmm__ nothing, this is screwed up._ He instinctively thought, kicking a rock and watching a snake crawl out from under it. He looked around at the inside of, what he now knew was an abandoned hotel. _Looks like a bomb went off in here,_ he thought knowing his hypothesis was probably true.

_I wonder if there are any drink machines around here,_ He thought, liking his lips, _I'm so thirsty. _He checked all around the first floor. There were some rooms with vending machines but all of them were peppered with holes. He cursed sweat lining the edge of the black bandanna that covered his head. Chad had tried to tell him to pack his canteen, but _noooo_ HE wanted to be stupid and make room for extra ammo._ I hate it when he's right._

_Well at least the stairs look well enough intact_. He took the rail in one hand while whipping his sniper rifle around to his back and drawing his standard issued handgun. As he climb the seemingly endless fight of stairs (he already checked the elevator, it was out of order), the sound of crunching glass was all that could be heard. He noticed boot prints in the rubble and sand. _And bingo was his namo_. He continued up the stairs ready for anything that may threaten him. _Almost there, twenty frickin __floors._ But his hard work paid off. He screwed the silencer on his handgun as he silently and very carefully approached the helghast sharpshooter.

Zeross was peering through the scope of his sniper rifle, oblivious to the fact that there was another presence in the room.

_ISA bastards, what's that, that case their carrying? _He glanced at each one of the vermin in the ally way hoping to find some answers. _Wait a minute that looks like a…_He went to reach for his comlink when he felt a slight pressure on the back of his helmet. He cursed himself.

Andrew pressed the handgun harder into the helmet.

"Mind telling me what you were thinking of doing with that sniper rifle?", He played with the enemy knowing he had the advantage.

"Go ta Hell vermin!"The helghast said in a voice that sounds like he was talking through a walkie-talky. They all sounded like that.

"Oh spare me, you're screwed and you know it. You're just mad at yourself.", Andrew tapped the barrel of the pistol against the helghast's helmet a few times. "You've already failed in your duty so why not tell me where you guys are hiding, huh?"

"Screw you", he said under his breath.

"Such a shame, well I guess dying like this is better than what we got in store for the rest of your little friends."

"Fu…", Zeross' curse was cut off by the soft pat that Andrew's silencer gave off.

"Ok, guys lets hold here until we get word from the twins." Ethan and his squad were kneeling in between two buildings trying to stay out of sight.

"They better…" Rob was interrupted by the sound of a loud crash as a helghast dropped from the same building Chad ventured into. The helghast fell with unimaginable speed onto an already destroyed car. "…hurry…up."

"_'__ey__ boss, I'm there,__ OH and I__ met a friend along the way too!"_Andrew sounded pleased with himself over the secure channel that he had opened with Ethan.

"_Yeah I think we met '__im__. Listen I need you to scout the area with your sniper, if you must you can move from rooftop to rooftop to get a better view, open another secure link with your brother and keep in touch with me ok?",_ So far so good for now .

"_Ethan, this is Chad__Nothin__ in this building__ not __even__ a damn vending machine.__"_

_"OH __TELL__ ME ABOUT IT!"_Andrew chimed in_ "I looked all over this hotel and not even a __si__.."_

Ethan blocked out Andrews rambling,_"Very good, ok__ link up with your brother and he'll brief you, good luck, out.__",_Ethan liked Chad because he was the one twin that respected him, that's a one up in Ethan's book.

Chad yawned, "_Well this is fun_," He said sarcastically over the comlink. Looking down the scope of a sniper for too long always made him tired.

"_Suck it up man, I think its rather fun."_

_"Well you got to kill someone, you've seen some action__this__ just seems like busy work __ta__ me__."_He zoomed in on his brother. Andrew waved from across the street, an oversized grin on his face. _Jackass thinks he's funny._He thought as he waved back and gave a fake smile.

"_Yeah well he cheated on me so what else was I supposed __ta__ do?" _He tried to sound as innocent as he possibly could, and it was working.

Chad rolled his eyes raising his hands to adjust the forest green bandanna he wore over his head, _He's never that funny, __why__ does he__ even try?_He thought, wondering if they had an energy drink machine still intact somewhere. Hell he'd even go for some coffee despite how much he despised the brown gunk they call a drink, _oh yeah a reeeeal waker upper._He thought as he yawned once again, This time throwing his fists up so his brother could see.

_POI__NG...….BAM_

"Mother….!", Andrew cried as he rolled and found cover behind an air vent. "_What the heck man__ did you see where that came from?!"_

Chad quickly found cover behind the door leading to the roof, " _Well judging by how long it took to hear the shot fired…Id say about three quarters of a mile that way, give or take." _He pointed in the direction they were originally facing.

"_How the…we scanned that whole area!"_

"_Damn," _Chad swore as he whipped around his rifle and peered through the scope, quickly scanning every rooftop, anything! "_He's probably reported our location to the rest of his team."_

_"Well don't you think that's what we should do?"_Andrew retorted.

MEANWHILE

"How's Betty?" Lee asked while counting his ammo for the fifth time.

Ethan didn't look up, "Sleeping", He closed his eyes and took a swig of water from his canteen, _bet Andrew like some of this deliiiiishous water_. Something was wrong, he felt it. Just one that's all they've encountered. It just doesn't add up. There should be a seemingly endless horde of helghast here.

"_Contact, we have contact. Single sniper__, we think,__ for now but I have a feeling he's not alone!"_Chad sounded frantic.

"Ok we'll move up and search for more contact, you guys stay on the rooftops and give us cover." Ethan just got what he was wishing for, a fight.

"We movin out sir?"Lee asked as he started repacking his ammo. Apparently he already knew the answer.

Ethan got up to meet with the others.

They all gathered around in a circle. "Alright people this is it, contact reported from the east. Our mission is to break enemy lines infiltrate this planets orbital defense station…."

"Which one's that?"Amber asked swinging her legs from on top of a dumpster.

"On the inside of this city, it's a huge citadel you can't miss it, anyway, we kill as many as we possibly can getting in, when we finally are in we set Betty's alarm clock, kill a few on the way out, then blow the place so our ships can come in and take back this planet. Sound good?"He said cocking an eyebrow.

"HOO-AH!"Ty shouted while giving his shotgun an affirmative cock.

"Then lock and load!"He smiled, "We're headin' out"

Damn fine group.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Bullets

Ethan's team had been wondering down this street for five minutes using cars and mail boxes as cover. They were almost to the end of it. "How's it look up there Chad?"

"_We are trying to find out where these shots are coming from, we've been hopping roofs and dodging bullets and oh __sh__...ho….I__we've__…." _static.

"CHAD, CHAD STICK WITH ME!"

Chad ran and ducked behind a the window frame of a building that had its roof blown off. That grenade was too close, _way_ too close. Where the heck are these coming from?

"_The water tower, they're up there but I cant get a clear shot," _there was a sharp ping over the com as a bullet ricocheted off a rock close by, " _I'm pinned hurry up_!"

_The water tower of course! _He brought his sniper rifle up to eye level. There they were, two of them. One was on the radio and the other was firing on Andrew. "No one screws with _my_ little brother."He whispered as he lined up the cross hair with the sharpshooters head and squeezed the trigger.

He saw the impact and the blood coat the tower and his buddy behind him. His body stood still for half a second until falling to the deck. He then saw the second one whirl around, blood spinning from the gaping hole in his skull, and fall off the deck behind a building.

"_Oh headshot alright!" _His slightly younger brother screamed over the comlink, "_You ok?"_

"_Shove it little bro remember I saved _your_ ass, not the other way around."_

_"Yeah yeah, you awake now?__!"_

_"__Haha__ you know it __brotha__!"_Chad threw his fist up.

"_Just don't get too cocky, __that was__ only two." _He came out from behind the rubble, "_let__'__s get to the end of this street and see what__'__s ahead__."_

_"Affirmative."_He said as got up and started jogging in the direction his brother was pointing.

"_Corporal, we've taken care of the sniper. He had a buddy on the radio so there's a good chance his comrades know we're __comin__."_Chad explained as he breathed heavily into the comlink. "_We're headed to their location to inspect, maybe get some new __intel__. I'll contact you when we arrive."_

_"_Good idea, I'll contact you if we need cover," Ethan breathed. "Ethan out."

His team kept walking, the streets were so deserted, it was eerie.

"What's the situation Corp.?" Amber looked up and blew a bubble with her gum.

"We have to get to that water tower way over there, here check it out." He handed her a pair of binoculars.

"There's blo…oh, hehe" She shook her head, "Andrew?"

"Who else?" Ethan chuckled, "c'mon we're almost to the end of the street."

Ethan and his team sprinted to the last building of the street, "Hold," He said as he walked to the corner. He went to peer around the corner, but tripped over a piece of rubble.

"What the hell, FIRE!" the Helghast ordered.

Ethan rolled to his left and hopped onto his feet. "Cover fire!" He yelped as he slammed into the building across from his team.

He heard the familiar sound of an engine starting up, "Artillery, Richard get up here!" He fired a few short bursts. "Where's my rocket launcher?"

The rocket screamed between the buildings and made contact with the tank. It fired back, but the shell connected safely with the building a few blocks down.

Ethan shot a grenade from the launcher attached to all standard issue assault rifles. It detonated a few feet away from a group of Helghast and blew a few off their feet. That gave him just enough time to move up to another building.

"Enter what ever building you can and find cover." He screamed as he fired yet another burst. He tapped his ear, "_Chad, Andrew we need cover, NOW!"_

_"Where are you?"_

The tank went up, as the second rocket lodged its way between the cannons and the main body. Smoke rose quickly above the buildings.

"_Oh…never mind__ I found __ya__." _

Ethan focused on three soldiers that had Amber pinned behind a car. He fired a few shots at the one in the front. One round clipped him on the shoulder. He dropped his rifle cried in pain, he turned his attention to Ethan and drew his pistol. Ethan was too quick and fired a steady stream of bullets into the bastards head.

The Helghast's dead body fired randomly as his limp body fell to the ground. His comrades either didn't notice or didn't care, because they didn't turn to see where the shots came from.

_Oh well, makes my job easer._ He squeezed the trigger and his assault rifle spit lethal metal spikes at the enemy's torso. His chest exploded in a fountain of blood that covered his partner.

Now was his chance! Ethan broke out into a sprint and raised his gun.

"We're pinned down!" Coalman screamed over the comlink built into his breath mask, "We need back up!"

"I'm out, cover me!" his partner turned to face him, "AHH sonava bitch!" he turned and drew his pistol and aimed…

From that point he only saw red, "AHHH what the hell!" He desperately tried to wipe the blood off his goggles. He succeeded to an extent, he saw a figure and it grew bigger.

Coalman had just enough time to react. He picked up his rifle and hurled it at what he knew now was an ISA soldier. The figure blocked it with what looked like his own gun.

The ISA soldier jumped and swung for his head, he missed and Coalman dealt a bind punch to his enemy's torso. He could feel the ribs crack as he pulled his fist back and readied for another attack. He felt an overwhelming force pulling at his arms, it pulled them back and he fell to the floor. He still couldn't see a thing.

Coalman struggled against the soldier hoping to use his enemy's weight against him, it didn't work. As he struggled he heard the _shing_ of a combat knife being drawn.

He tried desperately to throw the ISA off of him but to no prevail, he was screwed.

Ethan drew his combat knife from its sheath while struggling to keep this guy down. When he finally gathered himself, he grabbed one of the tubes that ran from the Helghast's breath thing to a pack on his back and severed it.keep this guy down. Hback. He stfinally gathered himself, he grabedor another attack. He felt an overwhelming force p

The Helghast went berserk. Ethan jumped off and rolled. When he got to his feet he watched as the Helghast grabbed for his neck, strange gurgling noises erupted from his throat. He grabbed franticly for the tube attached to his back. When he couldn't, he grabbed and clawed at his head, throwing the helmet off onto the ground revealing a very pale white head with patches of hair here and there. The helghast dropped to his knees and screamed.

Ethan reached to the helghast's thigh where his handgun dangled, he drew it and aimed at the struggling Helghast. He cocked the pistol and pressed it against the enemy's head, and pulled the trigger. The helghast's head whipped back and Ethan heard a few bones crack. The body fell limp to the ground. A straight line of blood and bits of skull and brain lined the street.

"ETHAN WATCH YOUR SIX!" Amber yelled.

Ethan sprawled to his feet and turned around. He was staring up into the luminous red-orange goggles of a, rather massive Helghast elite.

The Helghast stepped backwards and un-slung his pistol at such speed, it made Ethan dizzy. He stood motionless literally staring down the barrel of this handgun that was being held by an enemy that , he knew for sure hated his ever-livin guts. The odds were definitely _not _in his favor.

"ISA scum, you are nothing but worthless vermin." The Helghast spat, tilting his head ever so slightly, "But soon you and your pitiful band of roaches will be nothing but corpses when my regiment has its way."

Ethan kept silent staring intently into the face of the giant. The Helghast scowled, his face had sharp wrinkles from the bridge of his nose to either tips of his mouth. He could feel the Helghast's hand tighten around the grip of the pistol. With unbelievable speed and surprising accuracy the Helghast lashed out and grabbed Ethan's throat, shifting his fingers around, thus causing unbearable pain. Ethan managed a gargled cough.

Lightning streaked the sky, seconds later the ground shook as thunder caught up with it.

"Say something swine, or I'll blow that thing you call a brain, right out of its protective cavity!"

"Its called a skull dumbass," Ethan looked up, his black hair dangling in his face. He knew he was screwed three ways from Sunday, so he figured he'd have a little fun.

He shoved the barrel up under Ethan's neck, "You just screwed up big time you filthy abomination."

Ethan started to say something sarcastic retort, when he saw a red dot on the right side of the Helghast's face. He grinned and couldn't keep him self from chuckling hysterically.

"Oh, so dying is funny to you humans is it?"He boomed and grinned, his teeth showing a dark yellow tint.

"I don't know you tell me." Ethan laughed; the Helghast's grin quickly vanished. Three shots rang out as Ethan watched each one impact in slow motion against the Helghast's head. Ethan felt the hand on his throat go limp and let go. Blood and ichor soiled his face. Ethan watched in slow motion as the body of the mighty Helghast fell to the ground.

Ethan turned to see Amber pull back the lever and load another round into the chamber of her modified sniper rifle. She lowered her weapon and winked at him, while brushing a loose strand of blue/blonde hair behind her ear. "I'm there for ya sir!"

Ethan ran, dodging fire from what was left of the Helghast scout team. He found cover behind a sand-bad barricade next to Amber. She kissed him on the cheek. "Stop trying to get yourself killed Corp."

He blushed "you think I'm trying?" He ruffled her hair as a grenade detonated a few yards from their position. He threw himself over Amber in an attempt to try and protect her from harm. " You alright?"

"Yeah I'm good," She said throwing him off her with impressive strength, "We gotta do something about these guys though."

"Jazz, Tyler flank left! Brian, Ty, Rob, Lee, advance to cover!" Ethan pointed to an overturned semi. "The rest o' you fall in!"

Lee ran holding his turret gun down by his waist, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!!" He warned as he sent a missile flying from the missile pod attached to the underside of the turret. The explosions sent three Helghast flying into nearby obstacles with a reassuring THUNK. The estimated ten or twelve Helghast pushed harder with impressive effort.

A bright light lit up the field of battle as Rob spewed the area with flames. He charged the area blindly spraying anything and everything in front of him. The Helghast quickly learned of his tactic and dove for cover.

One Helghast managed to get a clear line of view and took advantage of it. He aimed his rife and pulled the trigger, sending a volley of rounds into the gas tank of the flamethrower, creating a chain reaction.

Rob's body was quickly torn apart and vaporized in the explosion, taking four Helghast in the wake. In very little time the firing continued and three more Helghast were picked off.

"ROB!!" Ryan yelled, "DAMMIT!!" He sent a grenade hurdling toward the Helghast, "DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!"

Ryan's grenade blew a Helghast's right arm to Hell. The enemy screamed and grabbed for the charred stump. He stood weaponless being of no use to the others. His comrade turned to examine what the screaming was about. He quickly drew his pistol and shot his comrade in the temple. The body fell to the ground and twitched in a writhing spasm of involuntary muscles.

"That's messed up", Jazz breathed as he fired upon the traitorous Helghast. His aim was off and the Helghast managed to duck behind a mailbox.

"Advance!" Ethan ordered, trying to take in what he'd just witnessed with Rob.

Amber aimed steadily at one of the two remaining Helghast. He was firing on Ty and Scott. She activated the laser and re-aimed, the Helghast noticed the light and turned but Amber had already squeezed the trigger sending a three round burst flying towards said Helghast. One round caught him in the chest, another lodged itself in the Helghast's jugular creating a fountain of blood spewing to the ground, and as the body fell, the last round caught him in the face sending the deceased Helghast's helmet arching a few yards behind him.

Ty managed to flank the last Helghast behind the mailbox. He crept up on the Helghast fingering his shotgun anxious to destroy the enemy. The Helghast reached for a grenade and nobody had to tell Ty that this was probably the best time to act.

Just as Ty raised his weapon, the Helghast jerked its head to the side, a spray of blood erupting from his neck. Ty jumped back, "Holy hell!" he searched the street.

"_Target neutralized_."

Ethan got to his feet and helped Amber to hers. "Andrew that you?"

"_Yeah what I miss__?"_

_"You and your brother get down here ASAP."_

_"Roger that"_

Ethan walked over the last place he ever saw Rob. He knelt down and ran his fingers on the charred, rubble strewn pavement. He closed his eyes as his fingers hit something; he closed his hands and picked up the object. He opened his hands to reveal two metal objects attached to a chain.

"Dog tags."Ethan whispered loud enough for them to hear.

Ryan dropped to his knees and threw up, then again, and then a third time until all he could force were dry heaves. Amber and Brent ran to comfort him. "Why" He quivered. He looked up at Brent, his vindictive nature taking over. Rage shown in his eyes. He got up brushed Brent's hand off his shoulder. "Thanks he said to them, but the only comfort I need is knowing I can kill those bastards." He walked away and sat on a the hood of a car.

"Hoo-hah sir, did you see that headshot that's two in a row man I'm on a…"Andrew walked up his brother following silently behind him.

Ethan glared at Andrew with the wrath of God in his eyes. He stood there glaring for a few seconds, and then shoved his way past him.

Chad, realizing what had happened, stopped Ethan and put a respectful hand on Ethan's shoulder. Ethan looked at him and shook Chad's hand and put his other hand on his shoulder, Chad closed his eyes tight and gave a short bow, and removed his hand.

"What crawled up the chiefs…?"

Chad walked over to his twin brother and put a fist in his jaw, "Andrew…shut your mouth." Chad opened the hand that punched him. He looked at his little brother. "He would have wanted me to do that."

"I..am…such a..a dick." Andrew said as he took the object in his brother's hand. He walked over to Ethan who was sitting alone on a sand bag. "I, I didn't know man, I'm sorry sir." He handed the 'tags back to Ethan.

Ethan looked at them and balled his fist until his fingers and palms turned white. "This is for Rob…"

"Wha…"

Ethan reared his fist back and slugged Andrew in the jaw.

"What the hell!?" Andrew stumbled back and grabbed his face, "Will you guys stop that, damn! I apologized!"

"Apology accepted," Ethan shoved the 'tags into a safe place in his armor, "let's get moving we have to cross a rather large park as a short cut to meet up with the other squads."

Andrew gathered himself and fallowed behind the squad.

It started to rain.


End file.
